Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Quick Hits

After processing her money, the kiosk ejected a receipt with no adhesive. As she looked at the flimsy piece of paper, she thought: I have no way to attach this to my scooter.

[...] Her frustration is shared by scooter riders and bikers across the city, who are blasting Chicago Parking Meters LLC, the private company that took over paid street parking in the city, for its decision last month to eliminate adhesive receipts.

The parking meter scandal - the gift that keeps on giving. Nothing like day after day after day of bad publicity. But don't worry, Avis Lavelle says the company is retrofitting the kiosks with little bins on the side to hold tape. Problem solved!

A 17-year-old from Maywood has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at Maywood police officers Sunday afternoon.

[..] He was charged with three counts of first-degree attempted murder of a police officer, three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and one charge of aggravated use of a weapon, according to police.

[...] Police responded, and Thompson allegedly shot at several officers. A foot chase then ensued with Thompson fleeing to the 200 block of North 3rd Avenue. Thompson then put the gun to his head and asked to speak to his family, police said.

Police and family members convinced Thompson to put down the gun, ending the standoff without further incident.

Too bad the story didn't have a happy ending. We're sure Mope-rah will want to address the conditions in Maywood that make it so dangerous for police to actually patrol the streets without being shot at. Right?

“You’re against it. You were against Millennium Park. You were against 911. You were against Soldiers Field. You were against Meigs Field. What else were you against? You’re against a lot. But, that’s freedom of speech,” Daley said.

“Some people don’t want this. … That’s part of American democracy. They can stand up and say anything they want. … But, in the next five years, six years, tell me one [other] thing that can bring jobs and economic opportunities and, besides that, guarantee an investment by the federal government [of] billions of dollars in infrastructure. If you have something better, I’d love to see it.”

As we recall it, the media was against a park and assorted attached parking structures that ran over double the budgeted amount. Same thing with the 911 center - double or triple initial estimates and all the systems contained within aren't compatible with one another. Soldier Field is an eyesore now and shouldn't have involved the amount of taxpayer money it did. Meigs Field was a nighttime end-around FAA regulations that cost taxpayers a few hundred thousand bucks.

And that expected "federal government" money for improvements? This is from the same people who have stiffed the city for how much in related security costs? They aren't the ones signing away Chicago's future.

65 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Tell you what...instead of investing those billions into the olympics, just give every tax paying chicago citizen $10,000. That money will be spent on cars, restaurants, entertainment, lodging,child care, health care and would create thousands of jobs. Why gamble it off on a sure loser when you could just give back to the citizens who pay for everybody thats hasn't worked in their lives and never will.

Speaking of signing away the City's future, SSC. This is a question at large that maybe YOU can answer for inquiring minds:Now that Daley gave away all the City's parking meters for a pittance, does that mean that the company that runs the parking meter show now has carte blanche on any block in any place in the City, say...in front of John Q. Public's house that he regularly has been able to park in front of free of charge since the invention of the car?It's scary if it's true. Better start saving my quarters for the front of my house.

...she thought, "Boy I hate when paper is flimsy. So flaccid, these paper products. Not a lot of value, considering the amount of money I just paid to rent a space of air. Everything should be free. At least give me a cardboard receipt, that's much more rigid & firm. Boy, am I lonely. I wish I could meet guys who liked scooter girls. But I guess since my scooter doesn't have a back seat to crawl into...and my apartment smells like cat urine. Oh well, I still have my cubbies. Oh, I better not forget to buy a bottle of Zinfandel wine. Tonight, I will fall asleep dreaming of Obama in his mom-jeans. Oh yes."

...In other news, City Hall has a room available for rent. Apparently, Mayor Daley has picked up his marbles and gone home. Sources say, for a good part of Tuesday morning, the Mayor was shooting his marbles around his office against any and all challengers. "Nobody wanted to beat him, they kind of let him win every time. They were very afraid of what would happen if he lost." the source said. The mayor was laughing with face beet red, while calls were quietly made as to what should be done. Then just as suddenly as the chaotic scene erupted, in the middle of a game where hizzoner was losing, he stopped laughing, scooped up his cat's eyes skillfully, turned on his elf heel, and disappeared in a huff.His whereabouts are yet unknown.

daley is so full of shit! Everything he does is full of billions in cost overruns. Whatever he does is done, cheaply so he can get paid off, look at 35th st,the 1st district for examples that building codes were/are violated.

Of course the Stuttering Prick wants the Olympics here. What self-respecting outfit guy in this city wouldn't be drooling, knowing how easy it is to hide the theft of hundreds of millions of our tax dollars?

I can't even imagine the years it will take to unravel the 2016 criminal empire replete with shell corporations, representing blind trusts, covering for ghost payrollers, fronting for phony minority businesses, half of which will bankrupt unless they receive cash infusions amounting to triple the amount of of their original deflated low bid ! ! !

When it is all said and done, an investigation, (IF one is ever done), will show that cost overruns were the fault of corporate bid rigging, inflation, an economic downturn in the financial markets, "unanticipated" and undocumented expenditures, accounting errors, and plain old theft of funds. A couple of the biggest offenders will suffer mysterious fires at their corporate headquarters that will cause the destruction of all of their records, (aka evidence), thereby covering up forever the totality of the stupidity and criminality of our "elected" government officials.

I say bring in Steven Spielberg to direct a movie about it. Joe Pesci can play the little criminal, Daley. Moronic characters like the ones in "Road Trip", "American Pie" or "Dude, Where's My Car" can play members of the Chicago City Council. There can be side stories that would involve Daley's Crime Family exerting mob influence, played by characters from "The Godfather", Goodfellas", and "The Sopranos". You get the idea.

I would be more enthusiastic about the movie than any Olympic event coming to Chicago. I guess it comes down to whether we want to watch a movie about it for entertainment purposes, or actually be victimized by it.

shortshanks and barry cry when you dont agree with them. they expect everyone to fall in line behind their bullshit. who s idea was mill park and now the olympics effort? i didnt see it on any ballot.they both are cut from the same cloth...keep spending and keep taxing.

eliminate the head tax, lower parking rates and tax on them,give businesses a tax cut,lower sales tax,use tif money to attract businesses for jobs instead of using for elite construction and consulting firms. just a few mr. mayor

Off topic, but I think this is the blair holt shooting posted online. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. I am sure some have already seen the footage. The masses have no idea what is really going on.

But, in the next five years, six years, tell me one [other] thing that can bring jobs and economic opportunities and, besides that, guarantee an investment by the federal government [of] billions of dollars in infrastructure. If you have something better, I’d love to see it.”

Note to Daley: How about sharp tax cuts, less crime and an honest playing field? That ALWAYS generates new businesses and brings companies to a city.

A previous comment post re: the Olympic plan mentioned a set aside for jobs for ex-offenders. Can we find out any more on that?

Was checking the City of Chicago official website when they were laying off workers and when you click on Residents, then Education and Resources, and then Job Training and Skill Building and "voila" the first thing that comes up is Employment Services for Ex-Offenders - quite extensive.

Used a pay box last week and after paying with my credit card out came a blank white piece of paper. Being in a hurry I didnt have time to call and beef so I put the blank ticket on my dash and returned a half hour later. No ticket but I was prepared to contest if there was I would have used my CC statement at the Admin hearing. Good thing I didnt use quaters!

“You’re against it. You were against Millennium Park. You were against 911. You were against Soldiers Field. You were against Meigs Field. What else were you against? You’re against a lot. But, that’s freedom of speech,” Daley said.

Yes, all of those things that went over cost and taxpayers paid for. This idiot has truly lost what little mind he had. It's amazing that he still knows how to steal.

Infusion of federal cash for infrastructure? Since when is it the Fed's job to pay for that stuff?

Listen, I'm only 28 years old but have been paying taxes for the better part of 12 years now and I'd like to know where all that money I've been paying since then has gone. It obviously hasn't gone to maintain anything around here.

It's like this:I pay you $200 a month to maintain my building. 5 years down the road, it's basically crumbling. Then you have the nerve to tell me that in order to fix everything back up (sorta), it's going to cost me $400 a month from now on. Where the fuck is the $12,000 I spent over the last 5 years?!

Back on July 6 at 5 AM, transvestite "beauty contest" judge Sebastian Latta of Baltimore was bludgeoned with a trophy and stabbed by two unsuccessful contestants, Anthony Johnson and Leroy Tinch. Both are now in custody at 024.

It seems that the two trannies were disappointed that they did not win the trophy at Fifth City, 3350 W. Jackson Blvd.

Meanwhile, back to the turkey drumstick homicide beat, an altercation erupted between three West Side men. In the ensuing melee...

The point is, MORON, that the Stuttering Prick at City Hall went and sold out to an outfit that is ILL-EQUIPPED to handle their responsibilities, TOO STUPID to problem solve and UNABLE provide the citizenry the services that the little Prick promised everyone when he held the Parking Meter Fire Sale.

I can't stand when you Daley ass-kissing apologists get on here and try to make it sound like HE is the genius and everyone else is wrong.If you hadn't noticed, THIS blog is not for you... You are looking for www.IsuckDaleyDick.com

"I can't recall President Bush ever urging Congress to just shut up and pass anything. The arrogance of this man is breathtaking. That he would demand that the Congress stop debating and pass what's on the table might be the way that Mayor Daley gets things done in the City Council in Chicago but is a far cry from the historically deliberative nature of our Congress."

Bill Kristol talking about the chosen one and how the "ACORN" dosn't fall far from the tree.

Dear scc: well if he wants to hear any ideas on bringing employment to chgo, then he should talk to the alderscum from the bottom of my shoes and demand that they clear the way for another wallmart. Those shits are holding up another wallmart that will bring in 400 jobs to the southside ( I think it was south ). This would bring in city and county money plus a paycheck for some that might be able to get off of welfare which would free up a little tax money .not to mention some help for people trying to save a little on their shopping bill.

OT --- SHEDD VISITORS CAN NOW PET A WHALE FOR $200July 21, 2009 11:00 PMVisitors now can touch one of the Shedd Aquarium's prized beluga whales, but it comes with a price: $200.

Not to be outdone, Mayor Daley, today, announced his new Olympic fund-raising plan for Chicago 2016:

CHICAGO VISITORS CAN NOW PET A FELON FOR $200 Yes folks, visitors now can touch one of the City Council's prized wire-wearing felons, but it comes with a price: $200.

That is what Daley is charging per person for a new, limited program that allows members of the public to get into the Police and Fire Committee meeting room and have a hands-on experience with one of the felons - touching and patting it, giving it a few behavioral instructions and even reaching into its mouth and scratching its tongue, something Alderman Carothers really likes !

If he Daley wasn't a catalyst for the culture of theft and corruption along with Milke Madigan and the host of other Illinois politicians who have fleeced the taxpayers. Taxpayers may have benefited from some of the things that little turd mentions but that would only be if we had competent statesmen in our local an state government insted of an incestous cabal of crooks.

He is completely removed from reality. He's had almost 20 years of pissing with the wind with people moving back to the city with all the money that brought along with the faux prosperity the Fed provided by virtue of a steroid enhanced economy. Both of which would have happened with or without Daley. Up to now he has been lucky like Bill Clinton was. Now it's time to pay the bills and the Emperor has no clothes as he's pissing in the wind. He has not the leadership or know how to manage a city right, especially in a tight economy.

"But don't worry, Avis Lavelle says the company is retrofitting the kiosks with little bins on the side to hold tape. Problem solved!"

Wow, note to self: Never buy tape, ever again.

7/22/2009 01:26:00 AM

Ain't that the truth! Like the bins are ever going to have any tape in them? This is their remedy? You have to be kidding. From day one, this has been a total clusterfuck. No forethought. No planning. No nothing. Just something for the privileged elite to make money. Totally disgusting!

People do tend to be "against" your brainless ideas, Shortshanks. Probably because they are costing the Taxpayers tons of money for things they don't want or need. But they are nice for the tourists to look at, so why don't you send the Tourists the bill for all your lame bullshit projects.....

Off Topic here, SCC, but how bad would it suck to be the unlucky Cambridge, MA Sergeant who got the burglary in progress radio call at the home of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates ...

7/22/2009 09:11:00 AM

What is your professional opinion about what happened there? Henry Gates is a well-known respected professor. I'm white and even I know about him here in Chicago. He is an old man, walks with the aid of a cane and provided ID. Was eventually cited for disorderly. I have to say, I'd be pissed if I was trying to get into my own house. And what's with the neighbor who called? Bet they feel foolish.

A news article claimed that 18% of Chicago's millionairs have moved out of Chicago. I suspect that millionairs would not leave if they saw high equity in their future in Chicago. This goes for all major cities. Does this mean we will not get the Olympics? If we do get the Olympics it is still a sign that this will not benefit capatilism or the middle class. Millionaires would find out first; correct? Things will not get better any time soon or the next decade. If we learn from California's deficit and Illinois corruption, we will do better by 2017. People have to wake up and vote for someone besides a politicians's son or an extremist.

Gangsta government folks. Miss Earlean passed this bill because her lil' relative was inconvenienced for a half a joint. Hmmm, if I had done something like this when I was a kid, I would have had my ass whooped for embarrasing my relative who held public office. But now Earlean, we gonna pass a bill to pass the buck and not take responsibility or change bad behavior. The kicker is the law fucking passed!

Tell you what...instead of investing those billions into the olympics, just give every tax paying chicago citizen $10,000. That money will be spent on cars, restaurants, entertainment, lodging,child care, health care and would create thousands of jobs. Why gamble it off on a sure loser when you could just give back to the citizens who pay for everybody thats hasn't worked in their lives and never will.

When Daley is exposed as the corrupt scoundrel that he truly is, haul his ass to the gallows and charge admission and cable TV rights. I'm good for a grand.

Better yet, use the Pakistani method. With the noose around his neck, push him from the top of a 500 foot crane. Gravity will propel his severed head into the cheering crowds below. Impale his head on a pike next to the Picasso until its consumed by maggots and blowflys.

No one wants the Olympics here. NO ONE. The only people who want this crap in Chicago are idiots coming in from the suburbs. Easy for them, they can drive out of here at the end of the day ... we have to live in this hellhole.

Suzanne Marlatt's enthusiasm for her new scooter screeched to a halt when she parked at one of the city's privately run pay spaces.

"After processing her money, the kiosk ejected a receipt with no adhesive. As she looked at the flimsy piece of paper, she thought: I have no way to attach this to my scooter.

[...] Her frustration is shared by scooter riders and bikers across the city, who are blasting Chicago Parking Meters LLC, the private company that took over paid street parking in the city, for its decision last month to eliminate adhesive receipts."

7/22/2009 08:22:00 PM--------------------More than a little hostility, but mostly aimed at those of you who travel, bizarrely, in packs. At night. Or more precisely, early morning.

The noise is like a dozen lawnmowers running at three in the morning and, at the very least violates the noise ordinance. If a landscaping company can't make that kind of noise before eight a.m., why can these buzzing machines???

Could someone enlighten us as to the traffic law regarding these two-wheeled lawnmowers? Licensing? Restrictions? MUFFLERS?

"'You were against Meigs Field. What else were you against? You’re against a lot. But, that’s freedom of speech,' Daley said."

Waitwaitwait. Back up just a second.

"Against Meigs Field?"

Who was it out there with the bulldozers in the middle of the night?

The asshole really does think we're that stupid.

One thing is for sure -- no one here has the initiative to get together, call a printer, and order the thousands of "NO OLYMPICS" signs they say they want to put in their lawns. Highly objectionable fluorescent green payback, filling block after block on the NW and SW sides and in Mt. Greenwood...